Hayden Panettiere, the Golden Globe-nominated actress and singer, has died at the age of 36, her father Skip Panettiere has confirmed. The cause of death is not known at this time. Her family released a statement sharing their “profound sadness” and confirming her death, reports the Mirror. They described her as an “incredible light and a force of nature” who brought “immeasurable love and joy” to fans and loved ones, and asked for privacy as they process the “unimaginable loss.” Panettiere is survived by her daughter, whom she had with former partner, heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko.
Early Career and Breakout Roles
Born in 1989, Panettiere was a child star who started with bit parts in shows like Aliens in the Family and How Do You Spell God?, as well as a chicken nuggets commercial for Wendy’s. She landed a role in the daytime soap One Life to Live, appearing in 27 episodes from 1994. She voiced Dot in the animated film A Bug’s Life, a role she reprised in the video game, and was nominated for a Grammy for Spoken Word Album For Children for the film. She also released songs, including My Hero Is You.
Rise to Fame in the 2000s
From 1997 to 2000, she played Lizzie Spaulding in Guiding Light. She later appeared in Ally McBeal as Maddie Harrington, the long-lost daughter of the title character, in the fifth and final season. She also had a recurring role in Malcolm in the Middle as Jessica, appearing in four episodes.
Heroes and Nashville
Panettiere played a cheerleader in the sci-fi series Heroes, a role that cemented her star status and earned her two Golden Globe nominations. She later starred in the teen horror films Scream 4 and Scream 6, and played Amanda Knox in a TV movie. Her role as a rising country music starlet in Nashville spanned all six seasons. Her final screen credit was in Sleepwalker, following roles in Amber Alert and A Breed Apart.
